Automotive Blog

Autonomous Cars

2012-02-06T09:50:00.003-06:00

Wired's Autopia runs us through the history of autonomous cars. Good times.

Repairing the Auto Show

2012-01-18T12:28:00.001-06:00

Graffiti Smart credit Tyler Linner

Great article on Inc. today about how "We Need to Repair the Auto Show" (by John B. Rogers).

The sub-header describes, how, in today's world, spectacle and lighting-fast information has rendered the auto show obsolete. With such a strong interest in engineering and innovation for true engineering and car geeks, the spotlights and car girls leave us wanting more.

Did you know? The first auto show premiered in Madison Square Garden in 1900. People were introduced to horseless carriages.

James Bond Cars Exhibit

2012-01-17T10:50:00.002-06:00

According to Wired (Gaze Longingly at 007 Speedsters at UK Exhibit), there's a great little James Bond cars exhibit at the UK National Motor Museum starting this month.

PTSD at the Wheel

2012-01-11T09:42:00.001-06:00

Fascinating and reality-check article on NY Times today (Back From War, Fear and Danger Fill Driver’s Seat by James Dao) about erratic driving on roadways everywhere by post-traumatic stress disordered war veterans.

Hatchback Wheelbase Comparison

2012-01-04T14:40:00.001-06:00

I've recently been wondering about the size difference between wheelbases for some of the more popular hatchbacks (3-door and/or 5-door) out there. My thinking/hypothesis is that a shorter wheelbase can return more responsive cornering.

Here are the results of a quick comparison of Wikipedia info for each of these vehicles, which are listed in the table from longest (L) to shortest (R) in length:

	Infiniti EX	BMW X1	Subaru Impreza	Audi A3	VW Golf	Nissan Juke	Mini Countryman
length	4,630mm	4,457mm	4,414mm	4,285mm	4,199mm	4,135mm	4,097mm
wheelbase	2,799mm	2,760mm	2,644mm	2,578mm	2,578mm	2,530mm	2,595mm

Is it any surprise that the A3 and Golf are so similar? It shouldn't be, because they're the same car, essentially.

SMART Commercial

2011-12-16T19:37:00.001-06:00

Ultimate Holiday Gift Cars

2011-12-16T14:19:00.000-06:00

MSN Autos is tempting all our stockings this holiday season, by listing some amazing ultimate holiday gift cars. Which keys would you want in your stocking?

MSN Autos Editors' Choice Awards

2011-12-16T14:17:00.000-06:00

The 2011 MSN Autos Editors' Choice Awards are out, check the list of the 12 winners.

The 2012 Subaru Impreza

2011-12-16T12:47:00.004-06:00

If you love good fuel economy and an all wheel drive, you'll love this bit of news: the 2012 Subaru Impreza is now the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle sold in the US (New York Times, About That Drinking Problem)

Also: New York Times, Reviewing the Subaru Impreza

Insurance Institute Top Safety Picks

2011-12-16T12:38:00.003-06:00

Great summary of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Picks on the New York Times Wheels website (Insurance Institute Names a Record Number of Top Safety Picks).

"A record 115 passenger vehicles received the distinction of Top Safety Pick. The list includes 69 cars, 38 S.U.V.’s, five minivans and three pickup trucks, making it fairly easy for consumers to find a vehicle that offered what the institute called a high level of protection in four of the most common types of crashes: front, side, rear and rollover."

Top players are:

Honda/Acura
Toyota/Lexus
Subaru

Surprising fewest cars in the list:

Nissan
BMW
Mazda

Or cut to the chase and read the list from the horse's mouth (IIHS news release).

James Bond's Cars

2011-12-15T09:34:00.000-06:00

Great info over at The James Bond Dossier on James Bond Cars and driving.

What was your favorite James Bond car or driving scene?

My favorite car was the Lotus Esprit (submarine) in The Spy Who Loved Me. My favorite driving scene was in Casino Royale when he totals an Aston Martin to save poor Vesper, tied into the road (very old fashioned, at least it wasn't rails!) and sets off a Guinness Record in the process. Then again, there's that great Monte Carlo/Italian Riviera (?) galerie chase scene from Quantum of Solace... MMM yes, maybe this is my real favorite... ^^;

Aston Martin's Special Garage

2011-12-15T08:38:00.002-06:00

photo borrowed from Autopia's article.

There's some simply spectacular Aston Martin pr0n over at Autopia today (How Aston Martin Builds the Gorgeous One-77 Supercar by Basem Wasef).

"...when Aston set out to build its radical One-77 flagship, it stepped away from its main manufacturing facility and constructed a small structure where it turned the assembly line concept upside down. Rather than move the car along a line as it's constructed, there are seven workstations where craftsmen and parts revolve around each vehicle. The setup hews more closely to the golden age of bespoke coachbuilding than the brave new world of hyper-efficient mass-production."

This and this were my favorite photos ^^

...So can we expect to see one of these beauties in the next James Bond movie?

2012 Porsche Cayenne

2011-11-22T08:46:00.001-06:00

The 2012 Porsche Cayenne

I was driving home from work last night, minding my own business. And then it hit me. In front of me and to the left, was the new Porsche Cayenne.

I fell in love immediately, what a gorgeous piece of car. Our song is pumped up kicks. Here's proof of the lightning strike.

I've always looked at Cayennes wishing they'd done this or that differently. It had a lot of potential. But, then again, it comes from a manufacturer that tries to be as obscene looking as possible. Seen the yellow specimens? What about those hideous ailerons?

Gee, I see it's a nice SUV, but Porsche? Really? I hate Porsches. Why? Well, it must be because, again, of those disgusting looking, fire-engine red Porsches in the 1980s and 1990s aileron sticking up high, like blood-tinged peacock tail feathers. Or worse, an Ivy League nose stuck up in the air. YUCK.

I'm incredibly sensitive to engineering and design aesthetics--I'm Italian after all...that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Don't even get me started on BMWs. See evidence of my reason for the grudge with Porsche here (928), here (911), and here (Panamera).

But this latest Cayenne design fixes so many things. The aerodynamicity, the smooth, almost-liquid lines. The recognizable fascia. One of the neat things is an opticall illusion, creating the sense the vehicle's gotten smaller---maybe a bump bigger than a Nissan Murano. In reality, this Cayenne beast is actually longer and wider. *insert uncut and thicker jokes here*

If you don't believe me, check out the before (2003 model) and after (2012 model). This is a big deal, because other luxury SUV makers are going to pay attention to the style and smooth lines and (hopefully) take a hint to clean up their own hot messes--yes BMW and Volvo, I'm looking straight into your soulless eyes.

I went and did a little digging and found out that the base model (2011 vintage @ V6) Porsche Cayenne (300HP, 295T) is just a smidge more powerful than my Infinity EX35 (2008 vintage @ V6 297HP, 253T), however, that mine is faster by almost two seconds (!). I wasn't kidding when I said it was a beast. And they've ligthened it? Yikes?

It's a slick looking SUV and definitely on my radar--just like the BMW X1 (hello? US market?) potentially is, but I really like my little silver bullet and, more importantly...I still have a year and a half left on the loan. ^^;

I will play this song, listen closely, rinse and then repeat. Cheers.

Audi A3 TDI

2011-11-22T08:11:00.001-06:00

On a recent trip, last week, my dad and I rode around in a five-door Audi A3 TDI in Italy.

The ride is pleasant, the road grip good, and the interior basic but comfortable. The diesel chug minor if even noticeable. The heating system is rather quick. I would like a wee bit more room in the rear, for my legs, but I fit fine, and so did my uncle (who's as tall as I am but way thinner).

Photo borrowed from Audi Italia's A3 website

It was a gorgeous charcoal gray exterior and a black cloth interior. Very nice shape as it glided through intense Italian traffic at all hours of the day and night. I enjoyed catching a glimpse as we drove past mirrored surfaces ^^;

I've been intensely curious about the A3 for a couple of years. It was a great treat to be able to ride in one. I didn't get the driving honors, as my dad doesn't trust me under his Avis policy (ha!).

I got the feeling I would enjoy driving one, and that the length would be equal to or a little shorter than my Infiniti EX35. Therefore not a hassle.

Now, if only I'd get a ride in a BMW X1 sometime soon, that would be a coupe for my hatchback research. Oh well.

Drive It like you stole it

2011-11-10T20:46:00.001-06:00

Drive It like you stole it, a photo by jeda21 on Flickr.

Audi night vision assistant

2011-10-31T21:49:00.000-05:00

Mini: Satisfy Your Speed Tooth

2011-10-24T13:51:00.002-05:00

I just love these amazingly funny play on words that Mini Cooper has used for their advertisement campaigns in the US. They've obviously found a perfect advertising agency to work with them.

This latest little quip was spotted as I surfed through the Urban Daddy website. It led me to a great blog post about their latest ad campaign (First Mini Coupe Print Ad) on Library of Motoring.

Other tags to go along with the release of the Coupe are: No Backseat Drivers, Two Player Mode.

An earlier favorite tag line of mine for Mini, was Stop Staring at My Boot when the Clubman was launched. ^^

Winter Car Care

2011-10-20T15:20:00.001-05:00

Although we're just now officially in proper autumn, the seasonal changes in our area have left summer and comfortable weather in the dust.

With high winds, heavy rains, slick roads, construction, and a number of other potentially-lethal obstacles, it's incredibly important to have one's car in good mechanical shape.

Many mechanics and shops offer multi-point checkups or winter prep checkups to make sure your car is ready to handle whatever the weather and seasonal change will bring. These check ups can range from $25-$95 depending on the year and make of your car, and the type of shop you're going to.

Make sure you keep an energy bar or two in the glove compartment, a blanket, jumper cables, key de-icer, snow remover, and any other useful tools and equipment you'll need in your car.

Safe travels!

Nissan's 10-Minute EV Charger?

2011-10-12T11:31:00.001-05:00

This is a traffic stopper...FastCompany reports today (Nissan's 10-Minute Car Charger Could Change The Electric Vehicle Landscape) that Nissan is supposedly planning a ten minute electric vehicle charger.

Is this for real? Apparently yes, but it sounds like it's still in the development stages before it hits the consumer market. It's exciting though! Check this out:

"...apparently Nissan and Japan's Kansai University have figured out how to shave the charging time down to just 10 minutes by using a capacitor electrode made of tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide (instead of carbon, which is used in today's chargers) to improve power. According to the New York Daily News, the 10-minute battery charger doesn't have significant impact on voltage or battery storage capacity."

You're a Car Geek When..

2011-10-10T21:09:00.000-05:00

...the only conversation starters with your dad are about V6, AWD, and MPG. ^^;

Passat and Countryman

2011-09-18T21:27:00.001-05:00

I happened upon three cars while at the Naperville Art Fair this past weekend. The two important ones *cough*not BMW*cough* were the Volkswagen Passat and Mini Cooper Countryman All4. All courtesy of Bill Jacobs car dealerships.

Volkswagen Passat Interior

Mini Cooper Countryman All4

Service is Relative

2011-09-17T20:22:00.000-05:00

So I took my car to get the front brake rotors and pads replaced this past Thursday. They also flushed the brake system.

Today, my windshield wipers were not working right. This is what I found out...

what's this getting in the way of the wipers?

Oh, it's a large cover for something...

Oh, the cover for the brake fluid area.

Alfa Romeo Delays US Entry

2011-09-15T10:28:00.004-05:00

With the Fiat 500 in the US market, many Italian car afficionados were salivating at the thought of other Italian models re-entering the market as well.

Although Alfa Romeo was apparently one of the potential entrants, due to economic issues and other aspects, they've now decided to postpone entry into the US market for at least one more year.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said recently at a press conference at the Frankfurt Auto Show that "the debt crisis has forced Fiat and Chrysler to examine the timing of new-vehicle introductions."

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta was the next model up for introduction, alas, Fiat dealers now have to contend with their sole model, Fiat 500, for a little while longer.

They may be losing out on a great opportunity to strike in the US market while the iron is hot.

Get the scoop from Automotive News (Alfa delays U.S. return again as European debt crisis deepens).

Watch: Audi's New Commercial

2011-08-10T21:37:00.001-05:00

I saw this commercial last night and I couldn't stop laughing.

Car Quality Testing

2011-07-20T18:10:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago I happened on a video on the Nissan website, where they mentioned the rigorous testing they do out in the desert, at a special facility.

The rigorous tests include rough roads, rollers to simulate shaking and road imperfections, and a very hot oven type room where they test extreme weather temperatures.

I just happened on an article today (Taking a spin at Nissan: A visit to the test track), where the author visits the Arizona test center, and provides a great narration of the work that Nissan does there, for both their Nissan and Infiniti vehicles.

I don't know about you, but I find this type of "behind the curtain" look at a major automobile manufacturer fascinating. I wish I could so easily find other mentions of other manufacturers' practices and facilities. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not going to try ;o)